Bodybuilding prep update (11 weeks out?)

I appear to be wishing my life away! Every time I mention my comp on Facebook etc I say I’m 10 weeks out. I’m not… it’s 11 weeks.

I suppose it’s a good mistake to make – better that way round than thinking I’ve got longer than I really do have.

So – 11 weeks out tomorrow (unless deemed not ready in which case I’ll do a later qualifier).

I’m still training really heavy and low (for me) reps – for example, today’s session:

Conventional deadlifts: 100kgs (8 reps), 110kgs (6 reps, 3 reps), 100kgs (6 reps)
Sumo deadlifts: 80kgs (10 reps), 90kgs (10 reps, 10 reps)
Glute bridges: 60kgs (3×10 reps)
Pulls ups
Standing calf raises

Heavy, compound lifts will remain for another three weeks or so, and then I think things will change to higher reps, more volume and probably more supersets etc to bring in a bit of a cardio/conditioning element (since I don’t do any actual cardio, other than twice-daily powerwalks with the dog).

In terms of diet, I’m carb-cycling, with my high carb days seeing me eat more carbs than I did at any stage last year (including – gasp – a bowl of porridge just before bed, yep carbs well after 6pm ) There’s loads of variety, from oily fish to red meat, whole eggs, white potatoes, nuts, poulty and game. About the only thing missing from the diet which might surprise you is dairy. We took it out a few weeks ago and I don’t miss it.

I’ve got a good weekend of bodybuilding-related events planned: I trained this morning with my friend Sophie, who’s a powerlifter (and fellow journalist), I’m seeing a lot of fellow competitors tomorrow, and then on Bank Holiday Monday I’m seeing a load of local bodybuilder girlfriends for a bit of posing and routine practice (and probably a good chat over a coffee, too).

Tomorrow is BNBF posing club/meet at Body Bionic gym in Thatcham – these are held every month (and there are others held across the country too) – a great resource for posing practice, feedback, support, Q&As and advice from other competitors and BNBF Pro bodybuilders. It’s brilliant to catch up with everyone every four weeks and so useful to be able to get regular responses from people who only see me at “club” – four weeks is a long time in prep, so I’m always hopefully that people will have positive and constructive feedback about my progress between meets.

Bodybuilding prep update (11 weeks out?) is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

So, I deadlifted 140kgs. No biggie.

Hi! Just a quick one from me today. I’ve got an exciting thing to tell you and my neighbour isn’t in, the guys in the shop aren’t really into lifting, and I think the dog is sick of hearing about it.

DEADLIFT PB all up in your face!

I hardly ever post about training and that’s largely because I don’t have performance-goals at the moment. I train for physique reasons and with a long-term end goal in mind: the bodybuilding stage.

I’ve never done 1 rep max attempts on any lift and really only know what I lift for 6-8 reps at a minimum. That’s just how I train.

Yesterday, I was down at The Training Lab (thefitdog’s favourite gym) to cover a workshop run by Andy McKenzie of IronMac Fitness and Andy Bolton of… well, of the first bloke to deadlift over 1000lbs (does he need a label?)

Andy Mc and Andy B have joined forces to deliver a series of workshops called “Brutal Strength and Explosive Power” (maaaaaan). Muscle & Fitness sent me along so I could write an article about it for the magazine.

After a lot of movement preparation to mobilise the shoulders, activate the hips and glutes and improve speed and movement across the entire body, we had a chance to be coached through the squat, deadlift and bench. When you have the opportunity to be coached and spotted by Andy Bolton on deadlift, you take it, am I right?

We warmed up with 60kgs, 70kgs, 80kgs and 90kgs and then Andy Mc and Andy B looked at me and told me to stop messing around.

They slapped a few extra bits of iron on the bar. I avoided the temptation to look at how much was on there and chalked my hands up, took hold of the bar and pulled.

It moved to about knee height and then I felt some peculiar sensations emanating somewhere deep within my soul (or bowels perhaps) and thought “nope”. End of a full-on day, plenty of reps already done, I trained deadlifts two days ago, today is a low carb day. Leave it.

The rest of the group got on with their deadlifts. Some PBs were smashed. I eyed up my bar. Andy Mc looked at me quizzically.

“I want to get it,” I said. So, I chalked up my hands, stepped up, grabbed the bar and pulled.

It went up.

140kgs.
(308lbs for my American friends)

HAVE IT.

No photos, sorry, but plenty of witnesses.

The online info for the workshop series does say “Who knows, it could be PB time”. Thanks, Andy Mc and Andy B!

I’ll leave you with a photo of thefitdog’s latest addition to his paw-tograph book (groan)

So, I deadlifted 140kgs. No biggie. is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Bodybuilding prep update (16 weeks out?)

Morning! I thought it was about time for a contest prep update

I had a face-to-face catch up with coach Vicky Bradley yesterday – she hadn’t seen me for a few weeks and was delighted with the changes. We speak (text/whatsapp/tweet/instagram/facebook – haha!) most days but of course seeing me in the flesh is different.

I’m currently either 16 or 18 weeks out from my first show, depending on which qualifier I do. I’ve had my wibbles and wobbles (of confidence, as well as glute-fat ) but I’m starting to think I’ll be in good shape for the earlier of the two.

Vicky calipered me again yesterday, and I do my measurements: in 12 weeks of working with her, I’m down approx:

6kgs
We think about 7% body fat from Vicky’s calipering.
5.1cms hips
8.2cms waist
5.9cms chest/back

Here are comparison pics two weeks apart (although the most recent of these was taken three weeks ago now)

I’m still training the same split
Saturday – deadlifts, hamstrings, glutes, back and calves
Sunday – chest and triceps
Tuesday – back and shoulders
Wednesday – squats, quads and calves

And doing posing practice, stretching, foam rolling and postural/remedial work a couple of times a week at home. Still no cardio (other than two fast dog walks every day – which are getting longer now there are more daylight hours).

My training has changed (at least once) since I last blogged about prep – still low reps (or what I call low reps anyway!) but with a bit of a conditioning element in there now, supersets, walking lunges, weighted steps ups etc. Every time my programme changes, the specific exercises I do aim to correct an imbalance, fill out a slightly lacking area or bring an area up so the final “package” I reveal on stage is as complete and as “Physique category” as possible.

My shoulders seem to have taken on a life of their own

Diet has changed a little bit: we are now carb cycling and we’re about to really go for it, with much more carbs than I’m used to on training days. This is partly as a result of a total diet-wobble I had a couple of weeks ago, where I careered off-piste without Vicky’s blessing (or knowledge). Not good, but (there’s always a positive!) we did discover than I’m pretty carb-tolerant. After two days of over-eating, one of which involved a family party, and undisclosed amounts of cake, brownies and mini-scones (very nice they were too), I put on…. 0.5kgs. So, we’re going to be playing with more carbs, and different sources of them. Now’s the time to do it – if it’s doesn’t work, we can change again.

As I said to Vicky today, I feel as if the next 2-3 weeks will see some exciting changes in both my fatloss and my shape. I don’t know why I feel that way but I do! It’s exciting. This period of prep – when there’s months and months to go, but you know you’ll wake up one day soon and only have 4 weeks left – is a funny time. But I’m definitely seeing very good changes and I’m really excited to get closer and closer to competition condition!

A couple of pics from a week ago: posing in the gym with Figure competitor Karen (right of the pic) and Physique competitor Kathy (left). I love this pic, we’re so smiley! We’d just had an awesome deadlift session together – I’d never met either lady before but have emailed and chatted to them both online for over a year now. Brilliant training partners!

And lastly, Karen and I did a bit of posing practice after training and I borrowed her Figure shoes for a bit. Once I’d got myself upright (and stayed there!), I tried out a few Figure poses. What do you think? Shall I switch divisions?

Anything in particular you want to know? Let me know & I’ll attempt to answer!

Bodybuilding prep update (16 weeks out?) is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

It’s back…. Notch Watch 2013

Remember Notch Watch? It’s something I did last year, starting at New Year (possibly not my finest idea!) and I kept monitoring the notches of my lifting belt up until two weeks out (when I ran out of notches).

I realised I hadn’t watched any notches yet this year (not my own, anyway) so took my belt in with me today for squats and snapped a quick pic before getting started.

Well – excuse the mega-baggy vest – but here we are on notch 6 of 8 with 20-ish weeks of prep left to my qualifier! (For comparison, I was on notch 5 of 8 at around this time last year.) I was pretty surprised by that. And it wasn’t even that tight – it was as tight as you’d do it up for squats but comfortable enough to walk about in.

I can already tell that this year’s prep (and life in general) is different, and is showing itself as such on my body. I’m much leaner on the abs than I was this time last year (in fact I reckon I’m leaner on the abs than I was at about 6 or 8 weeks out). That’s cortisol for you! As ever, the human body fascinates me.

I still have a long way to go before reaching the kind of stage condition I intend on presenting this year, but that’s just as well, in fact it’s really quite handy because there’s a way to go on the calendar too. I have a feeling it will all be timed just right.

Things with coach Vicky Bradley are still going great. I’ve started a new set of training programmes (I mentioned that here) and since my weight hasn’t moved much for a couple of weeks, I’ve also just started a slightly changed diet, to get things moving again.

Other than that, not a lot to report, because I’m happy and confident and feeling very positive!

Stay tuned for more Notch Watch – as and when I remember, that is.

It’s back…. Notch Watch 2013 is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Gifts to send to bodybuilders

As some of you know, I’ve had a “challenging” few months. The type of stuff which makes friends and family want to send you little pressies in the post to brighten your day. Which is lovely! But, of course, what tops the list of “things to send to a woman when she’s feeling blue”? Ch-ch-ch-chocolate.

No can do, friends and fam! Much as I’d love to munch on some chocolate right now, I’ve got bodybuilding shows to diet for. So, what is a person to do when they want to send a bodybuilder a cheery gift but they can’t send sweets, chocolate or gin wine? Don’t give up, there’s plenty you can send, as this pictorial journey through the past few weeks goes to show.

1) Flowers. Perhaps best for the female bodybuilder but hey, let’s not generalise, I’m sure blokes dig blooms, too. Flowers are lovely at the best of times, but they’re positively wonderful at the worst of times. Thanks to my friend Kate (a master florist, doncha know), my Dad & his wife Liz, and my Mum for the flowers you see below

2) Smellies! When all else fails, have a bath and go to bed. This advice is made all the easier when your Sister nephew sends you a cheery, lovely box of smellies in the post. This one is from Lush although other purveyors of paraben-free cosmetics are available.

3) Jewels! This is a bit of personal one, and you’ll definitely have to know your bodybuilder well before getting this right, but if you have the earring-choosing abilities of my BFF then you’ll be on to a winner. Small, light and easy to post but sure to raise a huge smile.

4) Pampering! Again, perhaps one best suited to the FBB in your life but, actually, I suspect most if not all male BBs also like a bit of pampering. We are all obsessed with how we look, after all! And we do all have to prep our skin for tanning. Anyway, pampering products or a pampering voucher for a local salon or spa would be a great gift for a sad little bodybuilder. As my Dad found out when he thoughtfully bought me a little voucher for a place down the road. (Not pictured. It’s just a piece of paper. I’m sure you can imagine what it looks like)

5) Coffee dates (also not pictured). Take your BB friend out for coffee. (Just don’t eat a cake in front of them.)

6) A stevia plant! This was given to me by my friend Zoe (along with some tomato plants, which are also a great gift for bodybuilders, if they like tomatoes I suppose). Stevia is a herb and is used to sweeten lots of bodybuilder-friendly foods. So, giving a Stevia plant is not only useful but also really thoughtful and shows you’ve been listening to the bodybuilder in question!

Other ideas: playlists or other bits of (cheerful!) music, fun bits of gym wear (little stuff like headbands or socks), a book or a magazine.

Hopefully this will help you next time a bodybuilder in your life needs cheering up. You’re welcome!

Gifts to send to bodybuilders is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Hosting a bodybuilder? No need to panic

This weekend just gone, we had a lovely l-o-n-g weekend here in the UK. Something about the Queen, or something? Yes, it was the Jubilee weekend and we got not only an extra Bank Holiday Monday but a crazy bonus Bank Holiday Tuesday, too.

So I decided to actually do something with the little holiday, and go to stay with family by the seaside. Very nice it was, too. But this post isn’t about watching the Red Arrows at the local airshow, nor is it about bombarding an unsuspecting Frenchman with questions about his career. It’s not even about why my 21-month old nephew refers to our friend Hayley as “Mickey Cakes”, very clearly and very specifically (although we would all love to know the answer to that mystery).

No, it’s about just how easy it actually is for non-bodybuildery folk to host, feed and water a dieting bodybuilder. Or, in the words of my sister:

“That really wasn’t bad at all!”

If you’re related to a bodybuilder, friends with a bodybuilder or simply trembling under the knowledge that you have a bodybuilder coming round for a cuppa, here are some top tips, courtesy of my family.

1) Just ask them what they can and can’t eat. Chances are it isn’t as scary, expensive or tricky as you’ve been imagining. Most BBers live on a diet of chicken, eggs, vegetables, rice and water. See? Not so bad. If it helps, my sister triumphantly declared on Facebook that “the fridge is stocked with berries, veg, salad, chicken, and fish. The cupboards are stocked with sparkling water and coke zero. It can only mean one thing, I’m hosting a bodybuilder this weekend.”

2) Tell them to bring their own. No bodybuilder I know would expect their host to cater to their every whim. We know we’re a pain in the glutes. We’re used to preparing food, travelling with it, eating it in the strangest places out of the strangest of containers. So, if you tell us to bring our own egg whites/chicken/espresso because, quite frankly, you can’t be doing with getting those items in, that’s just fine. We’ll just be happy to have a plate to eat it from!

3) Get creative. As my sister and step mother will agree, hosting a bodybuilder is actually a fine excuse to think outside the culinary box and try a few new recipes (or revisit old favourites). For example, my sister cooked a lovely family meal which suited us all – I think it was a Jamie Oliver one (?) and it was basically chicken breasts baked with lemon and sage, with asparagus (always a winner) and then a lovely side dish of sweet potatoes, chili, coriander and feta. She just left the feta out of my serving. Easy! And so delish. And then on another day, my step mother cooked chicken kebabs (the skewer kind! not the kebab-shop kind!) under the grill, with puy lentils and salad. Simple, lovely and most certainly bodybuilder-friendly. Put extras out like a bread basket and wine for those who aren’t dieting for a bodybuilding competition, and everyone’s a winner!

4) Don’t feel bad for the bodybuilder. Don’t worry that we can’t, or choose not to, have a dessert. Don’t be sad that we’re not drinking wine. We’re OK with it, and we’d like you to be, too. As long as we can sit with you, enjoy your company and (best of all!) have a meal cooked for us, we’re in heaven. Honest! And it will make the distant future time when we *can* have dessert and drink wine with you all the sweeter…

The final word goes to my sister: “I was panicking about what to cook and wanted to make sure I got it right, but actually it was surprisingly easy to cook something that everyone could eat and most importantly enjoy. PS You can also say on your blog that I’m very pleased with the state of my veg and salad drawer!”

Yes, over the course of one weekend I managed to empty that salad drawer single-handedly. I take my duty to all things salad-related very seriously!

Hosting a bodybuilder? No need to panic is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.